We May Yet be Juggled about Home Rule” Lynch, Col. Alfred MP. An important collection of sixteen unpublished A.L.s. and one T.L.s. to (Edmund) Downey of the Waterford News, 1909 – 1916, one with an extensive statement of his qualifications and publications, mostly on House of Commons paper, some headed ‘Private’, many commenting elliptically on Irish affairs and the policy of the Irish Party at Westminster; and also early A.L.s. to ‘Manning’ 1895 – 1901, one inquiring about a vacancy in the Irish Party. Born in Australia of Irish descent, Arthur Lynch was an engineer, writer, soldier, anti-imperialist and polymath, author of more than 20 books on many subjects, including science, philosophy and poetry. When the Second Boer War broke out, Lynch was working in London as a journalist. He sympathised with the Boer cause, and went to South Africa as a war correspondent. On meeting General Louis Botha in Pretoria, he decided to fight on the Boer side, and raised an Irish Brigade consisting of Irishmen and others who opposed British imperialism. He saw some action including a successful rearguard action which he refers to in his statement with letter of 29.11.1914, and was given the rank of Colonel. On his return to London he was charged with treason and sentenced to be hanged. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and in 1904 he was released ‘on license’ and later pardoned. He was elected MP for West Clare in 1907. In 1914 he joined the British Army and raised a Brigade to fight in France. He appears to have been a ‘semi-detached’ member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and makes some interesting comments to Downey about the party’s affairs. On 10 April 1911: ‘Over & above the apparent things, these are inner lines of guidance: an idea that we are too docile to the Liberals. Once o r twice we have even backed them up in non redemption of pledges. That is perilous. the party is run by a little inner ring. Outside that ring,no one is asked to speak for Party, inside the House or out.. Fear that we may yet be juggled about Home Rule. We have frequently gone against Labour Party of late to please Liberals, even when out assistance not required..’ On 13 April 1911: ‘Keep the idea well in mind that the Party needs a tonic, that we are too much inclined to join ourselves hand & foot to the Liberals in return for ‘promises’, & that a hint might be salutary to the Party & helpful to Home Rule..’ On 21 November 1914: ‘The next four months must be watched closely as it is quite on the cards that all may be lost. I would be better to hold to the present condition than to dismember Ireland.’ On 24th June 1916: ‘Everything has turned out differently, not to what I had anticipated, but to what I had hoped. The present situation is the result of causes dated long back, when the exclusion of Ulster was first proposed. On that occasion there was not the strength of protest, however violent in certain districts, that one might have expected.. Then there is the question of th war. On this subject I take a more serious view than almost anyone in Parliament. So far we are not winning,and as it is essential that we should win, every possible united effort will have to be made. Weighing up all these things I doubt if I am justified in making my own personal feeling prominent, as the net result would be nothing except to throw temporary obstacles in the way of what the leaders are doing.;’ Lynch is a significant historical figure,whose contribution has been largely overlooked by historians. The present collection may contribute to a reassessment. As a collection. Provenance: Downey Archive. (1)
We May Yet be Juggled about Home Rule” Lynch, Col. Alfred MP. An important collection of sixteen unpublished A.L.s. and one T.L.s. to (Edmund) Downey of the Waterford News, 1909 – 1916, one with an extensive statement of his qualifications and publications, mostly on House of Commons paper, some headed ‘Private’, many commenting elliptically on Irish affairs and the policy of the Irish Party at Westminster; and also early A.L.s. to ‘Manning’ 1895 – 1901, one inquiring about a vacancy in the Irish Party. Born in Australia of Irish descent, Arthur Lynch was an engineer, writer, soldier, anti-imperialist and polymath, author of more than 20 books on many subjects, including science, philosophy and poetry. When the Second Boer War broke out, Lynch was working in London as a journalist. He sympathised with the Boer cause, and went to South Africa as a war correspondent. On meeting General Louis Botha in Pretoria, he decided to fight on the Boer side, and raised an Irish Brigade consisting of Irishmen and others who opposed British imperialism. He saw some action including a successful rearguard action which he refers to in his statement with letter of 29.11.1914, and was given the rank of Colonel. On his return to London he was charged with treason and sentenced to be hanged. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and in 1904 he was released ‘on license’ and later pardoned. He was elected MP for West Clare in 1907. In 1914 he joined the British Army and raised a Brigade to fight in France. He appears to have been a ‘semi-detached’ member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and makes some interesting comments to Downey about the party’s affairs. On 10 April 1911: ‘Over & above the apparent things, these are inner lines of guidance: an idea that we are too docile to the Liberals. Once o r twice we have even backed them up in non redemption of pledges. That is perilous. the party is run by a little inner ring. Outside that ring,no one is asked to speak for Party, inside the House or out.. Fear that we may yet be juggled about Home Rule. We have frequently gone against Labour Party of late to please Liberals, even when out assistance not required..’ On 13 April 1911: ‘Keep the idea well in mind that the Party needs a tonic, that we are too much inclined to join ourselves hand & foot to the Liberals in return for ‘promises’, & that a hint might be salutary to the Party & helpful to Home Rule..’ On 21 November 1914: ‘The next four months must be watched closely as it is quite on the cards that all may be lost. I would be better to hold to the present condition than to dismember Ireland.’ On 24th June 1916: ‘Everything has turned out differently, not to what I had anticipated, but to what I had hoped. The present situation is the result of causes dated long back, when the exclusion of Ulster was first proposed. On that occasion there was not the strength of protest, however violent in certain districts, that one might have expected.. Then there is the question of th war. On this subject I take a more serious view than almost anyone in Parliament. So far we are not winning,and as it is essential that we should win, every possible united effort will have to be made. Weighing up all these things I doubt if I am justified in making my own personal feeling prominent, as the net result would be nothing except to throw temporary obstacles in the way of what the leaders are doing.;’ Lynch is a significant historical figure,whose contribution has been largely overlooked by historians. The present collection may contribute to a reassessment. As a collection. Provenance: Downey Archive. (1)
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